Last Year for SD - Past The Half Mark

As you might know from earlier entries in this blog,
2006 is the last year of broadcast for Standard
Definition (SD) television.

The NTSC raster scan shrinks to a dot on
31 December 2006, only 5 months hence.

Come New Year 2007, it's a brave new world
of High Definition television. (HDTV)

Shows have been broadcast sporadically in HD,
but from now on, participation is mandatory.
You will make HD. That's the official word.

It's possible the FCC might change its collective mind,
but I wouldn't count on it. Especially if you make
video to pay the rent.

What do you need to get started?

For the past 10 years, video production means "computers."
HD means "more computers," and "bigger-faster" ones, too.

Here's a FREE white paper that explains
what kind of integrated computer system
you need to make HD properly.

Filmmaking

Film Finance: Arrow In Your Quiver

Filmmaking - Film Finance

As I get really close to release of my book,
"Secrets Of Raising Money For Your Movie,"
you really should be doing some prep work.

One of the things you should be working on,
no matter what size of your film, is writing
out a solid Business Plan.

Here's an article about Business Plans,
as they relate to filmmaking, and I hope
you take the time to read it.

Don't get the idea it must be complex!
A Business Plan is just a list of the business
events you want to happen, in the order they
should happen, for you to be successful.

Whatever you write down, that's what you get.
Simple? Yes.

Do Prospects and Investors want to see a
Business Plan? Yes. Will they give you the
money if you don't have one? Probably not.

Here's a hint for you:
"We'll just enter the film into some festivals,
and see what happens," is NOT a Business Plan.


Filmmaking

Shooting 24p HD

Filmmaking - Shooting 24p HD

A concise reference for shooting 24p HD,
when you need one. Bon Appetit!

Filmmaking

Epic Wide Screen

Filmmaking - Wide screen

The image should be strong and clear and bright,
the sound should be clear and undistorted and loud!

The picture should have no weird, electronic, dithery
image noise, and it should be just like looking out
a window. It should be a special circumstance, not
just looking at tv and talking to your friends.

Throw those noisy talkers out! Now show me a movie
worthy of my undivided attention. A big movie. An
entertaining movie. A wide movie. Ahh...Widescreen.

Filmmaking

Filmmaking Game Explained

Filmmaking - Process

It is quite possible to be a filmmaker for years
and years, and still never quite know the
filmmaking process.

If you read this article, you'll know process,
and so have a chance to win the game.

Filmmaking

Film Reborn From Paper

Filmmaking - Paper Rebirth

If you have thousands of feet of 35mm negative
fading away, or you've read about how most of
the world's movies from 1894 - 1915 only exist
as paper negatives, here's a heartbreaking story
of redemption and renewal, with a happy ending.

It even has a hero.

Filmmaking

A Great Online Sound Effects Library.

Filmmaking - Free Sound Effects

Thanks for the kind words for my movie sound article.

Some whiners email me, to say that good sound is
"too expensive."

You know what's expensive? A movie that you spend
a year or more making, and it still has sucky sound.

Do you know that movie sound is at least 75% of the
film experience? That's the illusion that your movie
is a cohesive whole, and not just a patchwork of various
picture and sound pieces. It comes from good music,
good sound, and a good mix.

How do you get good sound?

First, you need to record good sound.
Second, you replace any bad sound.
Third, you put in hard effects for your
effects tracks, and...

What? Sound effects is the expensive part?
Nonsense!
Here's a great free sound resource.

Filmmaking

Seeing Red

Filmmaking - Digital Cinema

Red is looking interesting, from a design standpoint,
and how it will operate, and the underlying story
of how it came to be.

Discover them all, as
NAB Ted Schilowitz Introduces the
RED Digital Cinema Camera

Filmmaking

In Praise Of Timothy Carey

Filmmaking - There Was A Man Dept.



The first day I visited Universal Pictures in 1978, I met a legendary actor at the studio commissary. Timothy Carey. I went up to talk with him.

He didn't look as he did in the movies, but I sure recognized him. Whatever quality he had on the screen floated around him like a wraith. You know what I mean.

He was the crazed horse sniper in "The Killing," delivering lines through his teeth like an insane Kirk Douglas parody, working out the details of his grisly shooting job, all the while lovingly scratching a puppy.

He was the condemned French soldier in Kubrick's "Paths Of Glory," set unfairly to die before the firing squad. His cellmate says a roach in their cell will outlive them, and Carey crushes the insect, commenting "Now you've got the edge on him."

Later, as they march helplessly to the firing squad, Carey improvises his own forlorn dialogue, to tremendously moving effect. He was one of only a few actors Kubrick would allow to do that.

I talked to Tim Carey quite a while. He was very friendly and didn't mind. He really made my day. We talked about movie acting and Stanley Kubrick and Marlon Brando and Frank Zappa and Jack Nicholson and the indy feature movies Tim made with his own money.

Then we had to go. It was time for my appointment. He was at Universal to do some other business.

He raised and trained attack dogs now, and gave me his business card for his dog-training company "K-9 Attack Dogs." It was in my wallet for a long time, and then on my bulletin board, (next to Stanley Kubrick's phone number). I called Mr. Carey a couple of times, he was always nice, even though I wasn't in the dog market.

I'm so glad I met him, he was an original. What a character in real life, and when the cameras started rolling, always completely perfect for the screen. Every movie he was in, he stole the frame, no matter who else was in it. Kirk Douglas, Marlon Brando, anybody. What a career.

And talk about chutzpah - he once climbed over the Fox studio wall - in a suit of armor - to get an audition for "Prince Valiant." Can't beat that. Lots of people have been influenced by him. I know I have.

Quentin Tarentino's script for "Reservoir Dogs" is dedicated to a list of influences. Timothy Carey heads that list.

Timothy Carey, I salute you.

Filmmaking

Red Attracts Attention

Filmmaking - Digital Camera

Here's that world's most talked-about movie camera,
finally revealed. "Red" attracts a lot of attention.

Super35mm sensor area, 4k scan, Mega megapixels at 60fps,
a digital cameraman's dream come true.

Check out Red.

Filmmaking

They Want to Review Your Movie

Filmmaking - Film Magazine

AIVF, the association of independent video
and filmmakers, wants to review your movie.

Their magazine, The Independent, seeks recent
works by AIVF members to review for the DVD
section of The Independent's July issue.

Please send your DVD to this address by May 5, 2006:

Shana Liebman
Editor in Chief
The Independent
AIVF
304 Hudson St 6th fl
New York NY 10013 USA

To join AIVF, click here.

Learn about AIVF.

Filmmaking

Be A Big Hit In Japan!

Filmmaking - Film Festival

It's time to enter the 9th Kyoto International
Student Film & Video Festival.

This is a big-time student film festival in Japan,
and they invite you to submit your best work.

They'll be showing winners 20-27 October 2006, and want
to discover student independent film masterpieces, both
in Japan and beyond.

Festival competition is open to ALL STUDENTS regardless of
age or nationality. KISFVF2006 welcomes all films of all
styles and genres, and looks forward to world-wide entries.

Entries will only be accepted until Monday 15 May 2006,
and must arrive in Japan by then.

Check out the KISFVF2006 website for details of
entry requirements.

http://www.kisfvf.com
kisfvf2006@hotmail.com
+81-75-353-9430


Filmmaking

Opt In

Filmmaking - Options

So you have a story, and you want to play the
Hollywood Game. To attract Producers, and sell
your property, for the most money you can.

Usually, somebody comes up with Option money.
Here's a quick intro - how the game is played.

Filmmaking

Movie Sound

Filmmaking - Film and Video Sound.

The difference between a good indy movie
and a bad indy movie is usually its sound track.

Generally, film sound in a "real" movie is lush
and rich, and that indy video sound, well, sucks.

Doesn't have to be that way. Learn to fix it.

Filmmaking

Ultrasonic Splicer

Filmmaking - Equipment

35mm splicer uses high-frequency sound to weld
the ends of the dense, strong polyester film.

What the Editor has welded, let no man put asunder.
Find it, use it!

Filmmaking

Digital Highways

Filmmaking - Quality

It's funny. You make one little comment about
digital, which, though fast and inexpensive,
isn't yet in many ways as good as film,
and the complaining starts.

Filmmaking

Easter Movies

Filmmaking - Easter Movies



Quick! What's the best Jesus movie in Wyler widescreen, with the ultimate chariot race?

Yes, it's "Ben-Hur," which is what I named my childhood pet, my cat Ben, after he surprised us all by having kittens.

Tomorrow's Easter, and here are
my favorite Jesus movies.

None of them feature bunnies or easter baskets, unless such are in "Jesus Christ, Superstar," or "Godspell," which I happily avoid, so I wouldn't know.

This isn't Jesus the hippie philosopher, or Jesus the singing clown, of those epics. This is Jesus the Son of God, saviour of all mankind.

Mankind seems to resist being saved, and just look at the world.
Jesus has his work cut out for him. Go Jesus!

The list is hit-or-miss, but don't miss "Ben-Hur." Enjoy the breathtaking 11-minute chariot race, watch for Betsy Hale's dad as Gaspar the friendly Wise Man, and listen for my favorite line from "Ben-Hur:"

"If Judah Ben-Hur, none of this would have happened!"
(Isn't that a great line? If only it was actually in the movie.)

"Ben-Hur" is about Jesus, they talk about Him all the time, but you never actually see His face.

If you don't know, yesterday was Good Friday, today is Good Saturday, tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

Easter commemorates a noted Jew, who was persecuted right into the ground, yet returned to have the last laugh.

Hope you are the same.

Happy Easter!


Filmmaking

Format: 70mm

Filmmaking - 70mm

I seem to say this often, but not strongly enough - if you haven't seen 70mm, shot from 65mm film negative, you really don't know what a quality image is. You've never seen one.

Tv and digital video are just barely enough to get their information to you, and HD is better. 35mm film is the bare minimum that makes you forget you're watching a movie.

VistaVision is what it claims to be, "Motion Picture Hi-Fidelity," but 65/70mm, in all its forms, is the real deal.

I've seen many digital projection formats, at the Hollywood ETC digital theatre, and they are wonderful, but...

I saw a screening of the "do re mi" scene from "The Sound of Music," at the Academy's Hollywood's Linwood Dunn Theatre (named for my mentor, Linwood G. Dunn ASC), that blew all the other stuff right off the screen.

5 minutes later, I knew I'd never really seen "The Sound of Music." The beautiful face of a 25-year-old Julie Andrews, apparently floating inches from your own, as she sings and dances, the clarity of the image (and her skin) is absolutely flawless. No comparison, next case.

Learn about 70mm, and seek it out.
5-perf, 8-perf, Todd-AO, Dynavision, Showscan, IMAX. Do what you have to, find it where and when you can, because it is the best. Movie quality just doesn't get any better.

Filmmaking

Panasonic Owes You $400

Filmmaking - Digital Cameras

Oh, that Panasonic, what players
they are! You want the new
top-of-the-line DVX-100B?

They'll pay you $400,
just for buying it.

You're welcome.

Filmmaking

Free Subscription To In-Sync

Filmmaking - Equipment

Filmmaking gear of all vintages,
services of all types, and some
extremely useful tech info...

All can be had with a
free subscription to In-Sync.
Tell Robert that Sam Longoria sent you.

Filmmaking

HDV Explained

Filmmaking - Digital Formats

Okay, there's HD on a tape, and HD on
a disc, and HD on flash memory cards.
There's even HD on a DV tape. JVC HDV.

Filmmaking

Eva Longoria Is Huge!

Filmmaking - Publicity


Eva getting famous has changed a few things for me.
This year has been the first time in my life I don't
have to spell my name for people.

Which is good, because I've gotten worse at it.

"Your name please."

"Sam Longoria."

"Can you spell that?"

"Yes I can."

"Will you please spell your name?"

"S-a-m."

"No, the Longoria part..."


Now, it seems Eva's publicist has figured out
a way to make Eva an even bigger star.

They made a magazine cover, with Eva on it so big,
out in the Nevada desert, that Google's Satellite-cam
can see it from space.

Here's Eva, in a bikini, from space.

Great, now horny extra-terrestrials will
come here. Fine. Just great.

I must admit, seeing my last name on a
magazine cover, viewed by a satellite,
is still a thrill.

Go, Eva! When you got it, flaunt it, baby! Flaunt it!

Filmmaking
More info.

Happy Birthday Roger Corman!

Filmmaking - milestones


Roger Corman, the elegant "King of the Indies"
turns 80 years old today! Go Roger!


I had dinner with Roger Corman, on a boat in Seattle years
ago, and could not get over it, this elegant gentleman in a
cashmere sweater was the same man who Directed a movie
called "Bucket of Blood."


Years later, I worked at his secret Venice movie studio,
and learned a lot about making movies, perhaps the most
important thing is, Don't listen to anybody who says you can't.


Back when, Roger had a rubber stamp and a ream of typing paper
for his stationery, dressed in simple elegance, and refused
to waste a cent. He wrote the book on the subject.


Eighty years old is quite an achievement, so I send
a heartfelt (and cheap) Happy Birthday Roger Corman!

Film / Digital Comparison

Filmmaking

I like that I can see my digital pictures right away,
email 'em right away, and do image work right away.

I love that my film pictures look better, and I can see
what I'm shooting in bright sunlight. Film camera finders
don't get all washed out in daylight, like digital screens.

I don't need batteries or computers, either.
Wherever I am, I just press the button...and Kodak
does the rest.

However, I'm tired of "film vs. digital" comparisons.

If you'll notice, it's down to a couple of lines, instead
of the pages and pages it used to be. Here's one I like,
from, of all persons, a wedding photographer.

Happy Birthday William Shatner!

Cool Guys Dept.
Next March is William Shatner's 90th birthday. He was born 22 March 1931.

I have been a fan of Mr. Shatner's for many years, and I actually met him, briefly and abruptly, in 1984, as I walked out of the Boys Market in Marina Del Rey, CA.

I emerged from the only door that wasn't taped off with yellow police tape, warning people a TV show was being shot outside, in the store parking lot.

They were filming an episode of Mr. Shatner's TV cop show, "T.J. Hooker." It was a chase scene, and

Mr. Shatner was doing the chasing - running full-tilt across the parking lot, as fast as he could go.

I didn't see him, and he didn't see me. He ran right into me. Wow!
I was considerably more massive then he, and he rebounded backward, and sat down rather quickly. His character hairpiece continued on, by itself.

I could see I was intruding into the shooting, and thought it a poor time to ask for an autograph, so I didn't. Mr. Shatner seemed to be all right, and others were tending to him, so I left. He didn't say anything, but just stared at me. I felt bad about it.

Some months later, at the Academy Awards, I was a properly-ticketed attendee. I had worked on two pictures nominated for Best Visual Effects, and attended to root for them. Meeting William Shatner (literally) was forgotten, at least by me.

Mr. Shatner was at the Oscars that year. In the lounge of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, I went up and asked Mr. Shatner for his autograph.

He signed, then looked up at me. He just stared, and changed colors a few times. I thought his reaction strange, until I started thinking about it, and I eventually remembered our earlier collision. Perhaps I had collision-induced selective amnesia.

In 1992, my cast and I did a radio show called "SIMUL TREK," where we dubbed new dialogue into the mouths of the cast of "everybody's favorite science-fiction show."

I dubbed for Captain Jim, not because I did the best Shatner imitation, but because his character was easier for me to dub, while directing our radio show.

The Captain had the fewest lines to say, usually just a few words, and then a speech at the end. It was fun!

I told you all that, so I can tell you this: I'm still a fan.

Whether playing the timeless Captain Kirk, or the original unhappy flyer in the classic "Twilight Zone" episode, or on "Kung Fu" or "Mission Impossible," performing "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds," or goofing through his "Priceline" ads, or his recent Emmy and Golden-Globe-winning turn as a lawyer in "The Practice" and "Boston Legal," or the History Channel's "How William Shatner Changed the World," (from his book, of course), or his fine music album, "Has Been," (a misnomer), only Bill Shatner is Bill Shatner. I think he's the greatest. Every part he's taken, he's run away with, and made truly his own.

Here is an article about him.

Here are some interesting quotes from Mr. Shatner:

“I am not a Starfleet commander, or T.J. Hooker. I don't live on Starship NCC-1701, or own a phaser. And I don't know anybody named Bones, Sulu, or Spock. And no, I've never had green alien sex, though I'm sure it would be quite an evening. I speak English and French, not Klingon! I drink Labatt's, not Romulan ale! And when someone says to me 'Live long and prosper', I seriously mean it when I say, 'Get a life'. My doctor's name is not McCoy, it's Ginsberg. And tribbles were puppets, not real animals. PUPPETS! And when I speak, I never, ever talk like every. Word. Is. Its. Own. Sentence. I live in California, but I was raised in Montreal. And yes, I've gone where no man has gone before, but I was in Mexico and her father gave me permission! My name is William Shatner, and I am Canadian!”

“Babies have big heads and big eyes, and tiny little bodies with tiny little arms and legs. So did the aliens at Roswell! I rest my case.”

“How do I stay so healthy and boyishly handsome? It's simple. I drink the blood of young runaways.”

“Remember - you can't beam through a force field. So, don't try it.”

“We were basically one and the same, although Jim was just about perfect, and, of course, I am perfect.”

“In my proudest moments, I think I had a real hand in the creative force of making "Star Trek." But most of the time, I don't think about it.”

-- William Shatner

Happy Birthday, William Shatner! You are great.



PS.
Bonus treat.
Maurice LaMarche proclaims "International Talk Like William Shatner Day."








Star Trek
William Shatner
Maurice LaMarche
My Run-In With William Shatner
William Shatner Runs Into Sam Longoria
International Talk Like William Shatner Day

Oscar Numbers

Still not commenting, but "Chronicles of Narnia"
grossed more money than the top 5 Oscar
contenders, combined...

Numbers tell the story.

Form Over Content: Kung Pow!

If you've ever wondered what kind of
film makes me laugh, this is it.

Who cares what others think?
Not me.

HD: Define your terms 3

Dots, dots, dots...I'm seeing dots....ahhh!

So we've defined much of the High Definition dotset,
and talked about how all this dot-management makes an
electronically-stored picture.

On the one hand, the HD pictures we see now are probably
the worst HD we'll ever see, because things will get
better and better, quality-wise, in dots-ville.

On the other hand, there is no way currently to miniaturize
an image chip element any further. Those are analog, and not
defined by Moore's Law.

Unless there is some unforeseen technology bump, the HD images
we see today are the best we're gonna see for a long time.
Maybe they are as good as it gets. Ever.

While film emulsions are getting better all the time. Really.

We will find even more dot info, as we dig deeper into
HD, HiDef, High Definition Video.

35mm Editing Room: Patterson

Editing is the Maternity Ward where a film is born.
Cutting and snipping and patching and re-combining,
everything begins in The Editing Room.

In Florida, here's Patterson's.

Genesis Rough Beginning

Yes, the Genesis camera works, but
apparently not the same as a film camera.

Differently enough that it cost the new
"Superman's" budget $600k for a camera
mistake. Whew!

Eva Marie Saint tells the story.

35mm Editing Room: USC

The Editing Room is a sacred place, where image
elements combine in secret ways, to create a film
that is more than the sum of its pictures.
I love Editing Rooms. Here's the one at USC.

Happy Birthday Eva Longoria!

Date: 15 March 2006 (3 days after mine.)
People ask lately if I'm related to Eva Longoria.
According to Esme, her devoted sister who wrote me,
and has researched such things, the answer is "yes."
I had a small role on "The Young And The Restless" a
decade before Eva was on it, (so I doubt nepotism was
involved, in either direction), and I'm glad the public
loves her. She's very talented, I think she's great.
Happy Birthday Eva, and "Hi" to Esme!
(Write her yourself, or tell ABC you like her.)

Linux Video Info

If you've got a Linux box,
among your many godlike powers,
you can do video.

Here's some info you need.

HD: Define your terms 2

More about those dots...

In addition to SD (Standard Definition) video, with its
525 lines (reduced by housekeeping to 480 lines of 640 dots),
there are several other video systems as well.

PAL and SECAM (768 x 576) are still with us, they are
Standard Definition in their respective countries.

If you must do video, it should be High Definition, I say.

There are several HD formats, 1280 lines of 720 dots,
and 1080 lines of 1440 dots (4:3 HD), but "real"
HD is 1080 lines of 1920 dots (16:9 HD).

No small HD camcorder currently records "real" HD.
What? Never mind.

We will delve into this, as we discover
HD, HiDef, High Definition Video.

Happy Birthday To Sam!

Many thanks for the many nice email
birthday wishes. It feels good to
take a day off, and you are great.

Hollywood Game: Best Now Broke...

Hard to explain to non-Hollywood friends how a
celebrity with his own tv series now, will be
forgotten by the public in only two years.

Or how certain people keep making movies, even
though the ones they make don't ever make any
money.

Or those talented Hollywood friends who have
done great work and won prestigious awards,
and are still not financially solvent.

Not commenting on the Oscars this year, but
here's a story you just have to read,
about a certain "Big Winner."

If you have questions about the sanity
of all this, join the club.

HD: Define your terms 1

Wouldja know it, my screen is covered with dots.

In film, the dots are very, very small,
and they change from frame to frame.
The picture is put on the screen all at once.

In video, the dots are big, and
always appear in the same place.

The picture is drawn, one pixel after
another, making one line after another.

In HD video, same thing, just more dots.

Film Books: Bergman by Steene

I typoed "Reverence Guide," and realize that's exactly what I mean.

This is a wonderful book about a revered cinema artist, and it's written by a favorite Cinema Professor of mine from college.

I remember absolutely loving her classes, and it didn't hurt that her teaching assistant was intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable, and a knockout.

Good show Ingmar, Good book Birgitta! Keep up the good work.

Why Digital: That Panasonic...

It's not 35mm yet, but for an affordable
digital camera, it's in a class by itself.

Even looks like it's fun.

Panasonic HVX-200

In Praise Of Sam Fuller

There Was A Man Dept. - In Praise of Sam Fuller








This was a guy who knew how to tell a story. Sam Fuller would grip you by the throat, from the first word of the first line of the first page. His movies were wonderful.

Do his movies make sense? Sometimes they don't while you're watching, but later they do. For the most part, that isn't an issue, his movies MOVE!

One of the weirdest westerns ever made is also one of my favorites.

Barry Sullivan and Barbara Stanwyck in "Forty Guns."
WOW!

If you don't know, that is an almost unbelievably dangerous scene. Galloping horses, right around rearing horses, so much could go wrong.

Barbara Stanwyck did her own stunts, by the way. So often, that she was made an honorary Stuntwoman.

Mark Hamill does the best imitation of Sam Fuller I've ever seen, I could watch him do it all day.

Mark was great in Fuller's "The Big Red One," which I'll describe better another time.

That classic also starred the great Lee Marvin, and
Robert Carradine, another favorite of mine.

Sam Fuller, I know somewhere, you're still writing. 

Forty Guns
The Big Red One
Samuel Fuller Film Collection
All great Sam Fuller pictures

Format: Super 35mm

What's so old, it's new?

The full silent aperture of
Tom Edison's 35mm film.

Scope or tv come off
the same frame.

Super 35mm.

Sound: Stinky Tracks

Indy films can be edgy, clever,
outrageous, pushy, entertaining.

For the most part, though,
their sound stinks.

(That's a technical term.
I don't expect the Layman to
understand it.)

Indy film tracks set them apart,
in the manner of a bum's
filthy clothes.

Fix your stinky sound.

Oscars: Not This Year

There is no Sam Longoria Oscar Report
this year. I am not attending, nor
even watching the broadcast.

My best wishes go out to Nick Park,
who I hope wins his category, (Go, Gromit!)
and the other worthy nominees.

35mm Editing Room: Zoetrope

Editing is where a film comes together.
It's the most creative part of filmmaking.
The Editing Room is what makes all the other
parts work. Here's Zoetrope's.

Gear: Tobin Cinema SystemsMilliframe Controller

From the fertile mind of the great
Clive Tobin, the Milliframe Controller.
Make your camera do what you want it to!

Why Film: DV to 35mm?

Yes, you can get a small, light, quiet video
camera, with sync sound. Can you show your video
in a theatre without anybody asking what video
camera you used? No. Reasons.

Labs: DuArt

They've got great BW, great color,
all the processes you could want,
best quality, and they're
Woody Allen's lab. Du Art

Windows Animation

Lash up your scanner to your
Windows box, and load this
great pencil test software,
to do cel animation.

Gnu 3D Animation Software

This goes in your 3D box, almost
whatever flavor. Truly cross-platform,
and you can roll your own 3D.

35mm Film Cold and Cheap

Raw stock from the Great White North,
fresh and cold. How much art can you
make in only 200 feet? 2.222 minutes.

In Praise Of Don Knotts

There Was A Man Dept.



Very sad to hear of the passing of tv/movie great Don Knotts, at 81. He was a very talented and nice man.

I and my pal John Halvorson wrote a funny scene for Don to do in my western Surreal West, and it would have been just perfect. I'm sorry now we can't.

My condolences to his surviving family, and my friend Dana Snow, who sometimes housesat for Don. And to, I guess, the world. It's just not the same now.

Don Knotts, wherever you are, you are great.

Festival: Bogen Film and Video Shorts

Watch and review new videos from all over.
Bogen Imaging Film and Video Shorts Festival.

Old Man iRiver

iRiver makes solid state MP3 players,
like an Apple iPod, but record sound
without adapters and peripherals.

(I told Apple I wanted to do recording,
but did they listen to me? No.)

The iRiver iFP 7xx and 8xx models take external
mics in their "Line In" jack. Don't use the
T10 and T30 series, they only use a built-in
mic, only good enough for voice notes.

Favorites: Play Misty For Me

Clint Eastwood is a man of surprises. He was done with tv, did spaghetti westerns in Spain with Sergio Leone. Became a superstar.

When he wanted to Direct, he made a thriller. A disk jockey is stalked by his deranged fan/lover. What?

Pictures and music and Clint's cool style made this surprising movie a hit. "Play Misty For Me."

Gear: German Engineered Movie-Tech

German big film gear....mmm.

Rise and Fall of the Old Republic

"Faskinatin'" as Popeye would say,
"Uk uk uk uk uk!"

Ever wonder why the movie biz is why
it is? What "Star Wars" was really
getting at?

Those who do not pass History
must repeat it in Summer School.

Just follow along, as we study
the old Republic.

Locations: "Stagecoach"

"Stagecoach""Stagecoach" was one
influential black and white western.
Here's where it was made.

Sanyo Very Much, But No

It's small, it's light, it's
(barely) HD, it's available.

Meet the Sanyo 720p camera
that I just know cheaper
filmmakers will love.

Not me thanks, but here it is.

Interview The Guy Who Knows

Great interview with George Lucas,
on where the movie business is going.

George has a very good prediction
track record. He's the guy who's
changed movies most in my lifetime.

The only other person in his league
for filmbiz change is Walt Disney.

Here's what George says.

Valentines Day: Datebuster Movies

Valentine's Day: Datebuster Movies


Happy Valentine's Day! Promise her anything, give her Arpege®. Candy, flowers, a nice card, but there are some movies you must never, ever watch together! Any day, but especially today.

Here's a list of Datebuster movies you must avoid at all costs, if you are to survive as a couple.

Odd they omitted the greatest Datebuster movie of all time, Stanley Kubrick's "Lolita."



datebuster
valentine's daydatebuster movies
happy valentine's day
valentine's day datebuster movies

Locations: "Body Snatchers"

"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was a fantasy
about one's neighborhood gone awry, people you
trust being replaced by amoral, inhuman pods who
only want to take over, and suck the world dry.
Yep, a fantasy.

Here's where it was made.

Blair Witch Revisited

How did it work? Why did it work?
Don't know, don't care.

Jim Crispi describes it.
Like it or not, it worked.

Free Video Editing/Compositing

I can't begin to tell you how many times
I've viewed the "Thugs At Bay" site, and enjoyed
their silly music video "A Canadian In Berlin."

Its goofiness and the green, green trees are home
in the summertime to me. T@B seem happy musical
folks, offering their music, recipes, and
free funny-name cross-platform
video editing/compositing software, (now v4),
so you can make your own surreal mini-classic.

Far out, and thank you, Thugs!

Get it!